Scaevola plant named ‘BONSCA 1151’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Scaevola  plant named ‘BONSCA 1151’, characterized by its mounded and semi-trailing plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; variegated leaves; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; bright purple-colored flowers; and good container and garden performance.

Botanical designation: Scaevola aemula.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BONSCA 1151’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Scaevola plant, botanically known as Scaevola aemula and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘BONSCA 1151’.

The new Scaevola plant a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia. The objective of the breeding program is to create new mounding, semi-trailing and freely-flowering Scaevola plants with variegated leaves and attractive flower color.

The new Scaevola plant originated from an open-pollination in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia in November, 2009 of an unnamed proprietary selection of Scaevola aemula, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown proprietary selection of Scaevola aemula, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Scaevola plant was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia on Mar. 15, 2011.

Asexual reproduction of the new Scaevola plant by vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia since Mar. 15, 2011 has shown that the unique features of this new Scaevola plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Scaevola have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘BONSCA 1151’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘BONSCA 1151’ as a new and distinct Scaevola plant:

-   -   1. Mounded and semi-trailing plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Variegated leaves.     -   5. Freely flowering habit.     -   6. Long flowering period.     -   7. Bright purple-colored flowers.     -   8. Good container and garden performance.

Plants of the new Scaevola can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Scaevola differ from plants of the female parent selection primarily in leaf and flower color.

Plants of the new Scaevola can be compared to plants of the Scaevola aemula ‘Bonscalib’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,516. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Scaevola differed from plants of the ‘Bonscalib’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Scaevola were larger than plants of         ‘Bonscalib’.     -   2. Plants of the new Scaevola had variegated leaves whereas         plants of ‘Bonscalib’ did not have variegated leaves.     -   3. Plants of the new Scaevola had smaller flowers than plants of         ‘Bonscalib’.     -   4. Flowers of plants of the new Scaevola and ‘Bonscalib’         differed in flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Scaevola plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Scaevola plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘BONSCA 1151’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘BONSCA 1151’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in 20-cm containers during the summer in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practices typical of commercial Scaevola production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 30° C. and night temperatures ranged from 13° C. to 25° C. Plants were four months old when the photographs were taken and five months old when the detailed description was taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Scaevola aemula ‘BONSCA 1151’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Scaevola aemula, not patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Unknown proprietary selection of             Scaevola aemula, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at             temperatures about 21° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 15 days at             temperatures about 18° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to develop roots, summer.—About three weeks at             temperatures about 21° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to develop roots, winter.—About four weeks at             temperatures about 18° C. to 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Mounded and semi-trailing plant             habit; medium in plant size; vigorous growth habit.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit with lateral             branches potentially forming at every node; pinching             enhances branching potential.         -   Plant height.—About 16.8 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 62 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 36.3 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 2.9 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 2.5 cm.         -   Aspect.—Outwardly, decumbent.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Close to 138A overlain with close to N77A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.         -   Length.—About 4 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.9 cm.         -   Shape.—Narrowly spatulate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent; slightly             coarse.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B,             towards the margins, close to 145C. Developing leaves, lower             surface: Close to 138B; towards the margins, close to 145D.             Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 138A, towards             the margins, close to 150C; random sectors, close to 145B,             145C and 150C; venation, close to 137C. Fully expanded             leaves, lower surface: Close to 147C; towards the margins,             close to 150C; venation, close to 138B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and shape.—Zygomorphic, semi-circular,             fan-shaped flowers with five petals fused at the base to             form a tubular flower throat; flower throat open along the             upper surface exposing the reproductive organs.         -   Flower arrangement and quantity.—Solitary sessile flowers             arising from leaf axils; flowers face upright to outwardly;             freely flowering habit with typically about 198 flowers             developing per plant.         -   Flowering time.—Plants begin flowering after about four             weeks after planting; long flower period, plants flower             continuously from spring to late autumn in Japan.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers typically last about a week on the             plant; flowers persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.9 cm. Diameter: About 3.6 mm.             Shape: Lenticular. Color: Close to 76A.         -   Flowers.—Diameter: About 1.4 cm by 2.6 cm. Tube length:             About 1.1 cm. Tube diameter: About 2.9 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Five, fused at base. Length,             above tube: About 1.1 cm. Width, above tube: About 3.4 mm.             Shape: Narrowly elliptic. Apex: Mucronate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             When opening, upper surface: Close to N82A. When opening,             lower surface: Close to N82B; longitudinal central stripe,             close to 155C and 145B. Fully opened, upper surface: Close             to N82B; towards the base, close to 4C; venation, close to             187A. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to N82C;             longitudinal central stripe, close to 155C and 145B. Throat:             Close to 1B; venation, close to 79A. Tube: Close to 4C;             venation, close to 79C.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Two. Length: About 8.3 mm.             Width: About 1.7 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base:             Decurrent. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Slightly pubescent. Color: When developing, upper             surface: Close to 138A; towards the margins, close to 142C.             When developing, lower surface: Close to 138A; towards the             margins, close to 142D. Fully opened, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 138A; towards the margins, close to 144D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:             Five. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About 1.9 mm             by 0.4 mm. Anther color: Close to 166A. Pollen: Scarce.             Gynoecium: Pistil quantity per flower: One. Pistil length:             About 9.3 mm. Style color: Close to 72B and 157A. Stigma             shape: Narrowly oblong. Stigma color: Close to 145C. Ovary             color: Close to 144D.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Scaevola. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Scaevola have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about 0° C. to about 40° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Scaevola have not been     shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Scaevola     plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Scaevola plant named ‘BONSCA 1151’ as illustrated and described. 